The chapter gavel was made from an old wooden potato masher, owned by the Harmon family for more than 100 years. It was first used at the chapter's meeting of May 23, 1924, and is still used at all meetings. In 1948, a silver plaque, stating its origin, was affixed to the gavel.

The Anan Harmon Chapter's first project was sponsoring a fund-raising campaign for the purchase of Gilbert Stuart's portrait of George Washington for the Art Institute of Chicago. Contributions were later made to many restorations, which included Monticello (Jefferson's home), "Old Ironsides" (the USS Constitution), Old Salem Village in Illinois, and Valley Forge Bell Tower.

In the 1920s, the chapter contributed to Constitution Hall (our national auditorium). Metal labels were attached to the seats, acknowledging the donors. When the seats were later replaced, these labels were returned to our chapter archives.

During the 1920s and 1930s, materials were collected by the chapter and sent to Ellis Island for the work training programs established there for immigrants. When Ellis Island became a Marine Hospital during World War II, the chapter donated materials to use on warp looms for the servicemen's therapy.

In 1928, Anan Harmon Chapter sponsored the printing and sales of the book, Story of an Old Town, by Glen Ellyn historian, Ada Douglas Harmon. In 1929, Anan Harmon Chapter and other DuPage County chapters marked the 1834 Hobson's Mill near Naperville, Illinois, with a monument and bronze plaque.

in 1933, DAR members from around Chicago (including members of Anan Harmon) took part in festivities for Chicago's "Century of Progress" World's Fair. In 1934, Chicago area chapters furnished hostesses for the Colonial Village at the world's Fair, in which historic figures (such as Betsy Ross and Martha Washington) were portrayed.

During those early years, a Wheel and Distaff group within the chapter met weekly to make quilts for DAR-sponsored schools. During World War II, the Wheel and Distaff group worked on bandages for the Red Cross.

In 1956, the chapter paid to publish Village in the Glen, written by Frederick S. Weiser and chapter member Dorothy Vandercook, about Glen Ellyn history. The chapter received a folio, titled Rememberances of Old Glen, which consisted of local newspaper columns by Lawrence Charles Cooper from 1922 and 1923. This folio was on permanent loan to the Glen Ellyn Library, but was misplaced or lost by the library, because they already had two other sets.

In 1966, the Anan Harmon Chapter contributed an elegant Sheffield silver tray to the Illinois Room portion of the DAR Museum in Washington, D.C., in honor of Organizing Regent, Mrs. Whitlock. It is part of the DAR Museum collection and is displayed on appropriate occasions.

Stacy's Tavern in Glen Ellyn, IL

The chapter took part in Glen Ellyn's bicentennial activities in 1976 and has placed markers on the graves of daughters of Revolutionary war soldiers which are in the Glen Ellyn Cemetery. In September 1977, the chapter presented an 1832 Twenty-Eight Star Flag to Stacy's Tavern Museum (owned and operated by the Glen Ellyn Historical Society). A bronze plaque, which the chapter originally placed on a boulder in Stacy Park in 1925 to commemorate early settlers, is also a part of Stacy's Glen Ellyn memorabilia.

In 1991, Anan Harmon Chapter acted as liaison with Stacy's Tavern for the donation of an historic oil lamp and 19th Century glassware, originally used in the Mansion House Hotel in Glen Ellyn, operated until 1873. Mrs. Betty Tauer of North Hollywood, California, a descendant of the owner of that hotel, asked the chapter to handle this for her. An 1854 New Testament, owned by the chapter, is often on display at the DuPage County Historical Museum in Wheaton, where it is on loan from the Chapter.

Stacy's Tavern historic marker

In 1993, the chapter contributed to the Veteran's Memorial erected in Lake Ellyn Park by local veterans' groups. The chapter has also donated funds for restoration work at Glen Ellyn Cemetery and funds for the archive room at the Glen Ellyn Library. In the past couple of decades, Anan Harmon Chapter also donated funds to restore Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, both National Society sponsored projects

The chapter cookbook, Melting Pot, a project developed and organized by then-Ways and Means Chairman, Barbara Traver, was published in 1993 and proved to be tremendously successful. In 1997, we donated Ada Douglas Harmon's original oil painting of the Deacon Winslow Churchill cabin (built in 1854, the year Glen Ellyn was founded) to Stacy's.

In 1999, the chapter's 75th year, a history of the chapter was written by then-Historian Beverly Snedden and then-Regent Ellen Stortz and published under the name Our 75 Years As A Chapter. The copyright for the book and the Library of Congress number assigned to it are under the umbrella of the Anan Harmon DAR Chapter name.

Anan Harmon Chapter received national recognition as a World War II Commemorative Community and presented a World War II Commemorative Flag to the Village President in October 1995. In 1999, the Chapter became involved in promoting the Bicentennial of George Washington's death and in 2001-03 the chapter was designated a Korean War Commemorative Community and received a Korean Commemoration Flag, posters, books, and brochures from the Department of Defense for our many programs and observances of events commemorating the Korean War.

Members contribute for veterans work and give "wish list" items to Chemawa Indian school in Oregon. A pie party is held annually for veterans at DuPage County Convalescent Center. We award Good Citizenship medals to 8th grade students at 3 middle schools, provide copies of NSDAR American Spirit magazine to area libraries, and sponsor the selected DAR Good Citizens from 4 Glenbard high schools in the National Contest. The chapter annually recognizes all participants of the American History Essay Contest and honors winners at a chapter meeting.

Our chapter history is a fluid, on-going process of activities and volunteer efforts by a group of women who have pledged themselves to honor "God, Home, and Country," our DAR motto. We are proud of all our ladies - past and present and of our chapter's many accomplishments!